Share this:

BARLING (KFSM) -- Police arrested two men after a Barling Police Officer was attacked early Wednesday morning (Nov. 16).

According to Barling Police Chief Darrel Miner, police arrested Matt Terry Wednesday night (Nov. 16) while he was walking in the area where Officer Jerry Foley was attacked. Terry was taken into custody on forgery warrants.

Police then developed an address and vehicle of interest in connection to the attack.

"One of my patrol units stopped the vehicle of interest and we made contact with three subjects at the address," Chief Miner said.

Those people were brought in for questioning. Police said one of them, Kenneth Lopez, was arrested for drug possession and two warrants in Fort Smith.

"Kenneth Lopez was a person we developed as a suspect," Chief Miner said. "He is not a suspect in the attack on Officer Foley, however, he is a person of interest."

Police said the other two subjects led officers to Pocola, where they found stolen property including a trailer and vehicle.

Chief Miner said Officer Jerry Foley advised he would be out with two males on Springhill Drive at some duplexes that are under construction. The area was being heavily patrolled due to an increase in theft in the neighborhood, Miner said.

At 1:04 a.m., Officer Roger Hayden arrived on scene finding Officer Foley between the two structures.

"Officer Hayden came up on him when officer Foley was actually face down. They turned him over to check for a pulse and the rest of him. Foley was unconscious at the time but he had a pulse," Miner said.

Officer Foley was taken to Mercy Hospital where he was treated for a concussion and later released.

"He's got a concussion and everything that goes along with a concussion. Hopefully he will be back to work soon. He will be off for as long as he needs," Miner said.

When detectives examined Officer Foley’s outer vest carrier, they noticed his body camera was missing. The Sebastian County K-9 Unit was contacted and a search for the suspects began, Chief Miner said. Evidence was collected from the scene and at this time the suspects are still at large.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Barling Police Department at 479-452-1550, or the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office at 479-783-1051.